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This was just emailed to me and just had to post it. I had never seen it.

A new, better way to get free movies!

Redbox!



So, if you know me, you know that I am always trying to find free ways to get movies and music and things. Well, to help out my fellow free-movie seekeers and poor newly-wed couples looking for cheap entertainment I've decided to share what I've learned while experimenting with this service.

Redbox can be found nearly anywhere now as supermarkets have replaced their video rental services with these kiosks. You can also find them nearly anywhere: 7-11's, gas stations, some McDonald's...you can go here to search for a kiosk near you. You basically use a VISA card and rent a DVD for $1 a day, and you can return them to any Redbox kiosk around (until 25 days, then the DVD is yours to keep)

Now, Redbox is very aggresive in sending out coupon codes to lure you in and try their service. In fact, they issue a weekly "Monday Code" good for a free night's rental. They also encourage you to share the code with your friends. You can sign up to recieve these codes by text here. I think they send them out regionally or something though, because I signed up about a month ago and still haven't recieved a text from them.

Luckily, there are folks who track down these codes. You can use each code once per VISA credit or debit card you have. Redbox also issues codes sponsored by different locations, like some only good at McDonald's or Walgreens, or for holidays and things, on a regular basis. So here's how it works. You use the coupon code for a free night's rental. It will pre-authorize your card for a dollar, but as long as you return the DVD by 9pm the next night, the authorization will fall off, and you will not be charged.

There are a couple complications that I've run into. Sometimes it's tricky to find a code that works for a specific location. So, you just have to be careful not to "check out" before the code has been applied. Also, to get more than one movie with more than one card, you have to go through the process individually for each one, you can't check out all at once because you need to use a different VISA card each time. The final complication is that it seems that some older kiosks do not accept codes. It says they do, but no code will ever work. To get around this, just make sure you use a kiosk with the interface shown below in the picture, they are the most common. Also remember, some codes work indefinitely, but the Monday codes are only good until midnight on Mondays, so don't lose the oportunity for the week! And just make sure you return it by 9pm the next day or you will be charged.

And now, without further ado, how do you get these codes?? It's simple! just text the words "Insideredbox codes" (without quotes) to 368266, Its free (well, as long as you get free texts on your plan). They text you back with a list of currently working codes, the Monday code is usually the one that looks like 6 random letters and numbers. So try it out! I do it every Monday morning!

Now, the legally questionable part is that sometimes, if I don't have time to watching the free movie on Monday, I'll rent it, copy it to my hard drive, and watch it later. Maybe I'll write a How-To for that next :)

PS: I have now started getting these Monday codes every week from Redbox itself. Works great! They encourage us to pass them on to friends.

Rachel Adventures!

So the coolest thing happened tonight. My girlfriend Rachel came to visit from California for my birthday this weekend. Well on her last day the snow began, which always makes getting back over that pass pretty tricky. So I decided to drive up with her and help put chains on and things. Well while we were putting chains on, a news reporter came up and wanted to talk to us. So we answered a few questions and lo and behold, we made it on the news! And actually we're a pretty big chunk of the story! So take a look...

What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare?

I was just introduced to this article by a Facebook friend who posted it and I found it very interesting. It made me think.

It was the morning of January 12th, 2007 in L'Enfant Plaza Station in Washington D.C. This is apparently one of those subway stations where you can typically find a lone musician playing for a few bucks out on the street. Well on this particular morning there was a catch. The musican was Joshua Bell, one of the worlds most renown classical musicians, and his instrument was a $3.5 million violin hand crafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari.

So what do you think happened? Well, the Washington Post wanted to know what would happen and they arranged for him to play a "solo concert" for 45 minutes in the subway station. The entire thing was filmed with a hidden camera while passers by were stopped by reporters, asked for their phone number, and were called later on to discuss what had happened. And what they had missed.

63 people, and three minutes into the 'concert' the first person finally aknowledged his playing...by pausing, lifting his head, and then walking away. A bit later he got his first dollar. It wasn't until 6 minutes into his playing that someone finally stopped to listen.

"Things never got much better. In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look."

Remember, this is a world famous musician. He's played for Royalty all over Europe. Tickets to his concerts cost hundreds of dollars. But something interesting occurred.

"There was no ethnic or demographic pattern to distinguish the people who stayed to watch Bell, or the ones who gave money, from that vast majority who hurried on past, unheeding. Whites, blacks and Asians, young and old, men and women, were represented in all three groups. But the behavior of one demographic remained absolutely consistent. Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away."

Puts a whole new meaning to when Christ teaches us to be as little children.

Are we really too busy to notice something like this? Do we rush about our days too hurried to count the many blessings in our lives we just stumble upon? It seems that little children, while more humble, more teachable, and more forgiving, are also better at appreciating the little things in life that can bring us joy. They can see the beauty around them. And as adults, we just stop looking.

How much better would our lives be if we could notice all the "Joshua Bells" playing around us? Now obviously we usually don't miss things as big as those in the subway did, but what if? If we miss it, we would really never know it had been there? Hopefully we don't get to the judgement bar and notice how much greater our lives could have been had we been a little better at counting our blessings.

So below is a sped up version of this experiment captured on tape. You can tell he is a fabulous player. I'd like to think that had I been there, I would have atleast paused a little to notice how good he was. It's not until he is almost finished with his very last piece that a woman finally recognizes him. She had been at a concert of his a couple nights before at the Library of Congress. She had the experience of meeting him and shaking his hand one on one that day. And of course, she gave him a $20. I would wish that we could all be more like her in noticing the good things that are happening around us, and not like everyone else. During his 45 minute show, he made $32.17 - some people dropped in pennies. But even donating money doesn't make up for missing what was really happening.

You can find the entire article here. It has some cool videos of the experience as well.

Feeling Manly

Funny things happen when you don't have plans on a Saturday night. I was bored and decided to do something manly. There's always something manly about a good fight scene. So, I decided to go through my movie collection and pull out a few of the best fight scenes around and compile them into a video.

From Jackie Chan to the Ninja Turtles, James Bond to Jason Bourne, these are some of the best around. And yes, those are clips from Quantum of Solace. So minor spoiler alert - skip the one's where you'd rather not see who wins! With that in place, here is the result of my Saturday night. And watch the whole thing, because I just couldn't narrow them down. They're all so great!

Christmas is here!

Well hello everyone! I know there are multitudes of you who have been dying for a blog update. Unfortunately school totally kicked my butt this last semester. I'm finally done and I can waste time with things like this!

So, I thought it appropriate to write something about Christmas. One of my favorite things about Christmas is the music. Throughout my life I have heard numerous Christmas songs (as I'm sure you have too, probably more than me) and I always like to remember my favorite arrangements. My all-time favorite Christmas songs are O Holy Night, Carol of the Bells, and The Little Drummer Boy. These songs also seem to be the ones with the coolest arrangements (which might explain why I like them so much). They just seem to be the most powerful to me.

A few of my all-time favorite Christmas albums include Mariah Carey's, the amazing Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and something called The Stars Come Out for Christmas (something my family stumbled upon on accident and has become tradition).

So to celebrate this time of year I've created a playlist with some of my favorite Christmas songs for you to enjoy. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! (if the playlist doesn't load, click the "pop out" button below it).

The Concert

I just had the chance to go with Rachel to a great concert! It was a benefit concert for a place called The Bridge School (a school for children with severe developmental/communication disorders). Some of the more notable bands were Nora Jones, Sarah McLachlan and my reason for going...Jack Johnson! We were so far away from the stage they all looked pretty microscopic, but we had a good view of one of the big projector screens. So I decided to take some video clips of the screen. If you listen closely you can hear me singing along to some of them....how embarrassing. Anyway - tons of fun!!! Even though Jack's an Obama supporter as we all found out...but don't worry, I didn't let it ruin my night!




PS...Rachel's my girlfriend :)

A Call to Arms

I just want to post something serious as election time rapidly approaches. My uncle sent me this video and I wanted to post it here. Just watch it.

And go here to check out the site it came from. Nice to see things like this actuall do exist

The Wonder of Humor

Don't worry, both videos in this post are different even if they have the same preview image displayed.

I have been thinking a lot about humor lately. It's something I value above nearly all other qualities. Humor as a tool can help us deal with the most difficult and tragic of circumstances. I hold those who can consistently make people laugh in the highest regard. It has been said that humor is greatly related to intelligence. And I can see it in the countries most truly brilliant minds. (for those of you who might think I am funny, this is not about me bragging of my own intelligence - I simply immitate those who truly have the talent).

It's in times of national turmoil that I find myself appreciating humor even more. Few groups have been able to continue to make me laugh with their incredible talent. One of them is the writers at Pixar. Every movie they make is an instant classic in my book and has me laughing harder and harder each time. Another such group is the writers for Saturday Night Live. Their recent episode parodying the presidencial debate caught my attention. Pure genius. One of the reasons I think I like it so much is that they aren't trying to pursue any political agenda. They just want to be funny. Both sides get it equally. Pure humor. Of course, my favorite line isn't in the debate, but in the Weekend Update. How can you not laugh at the "frozen Chicken dinner" line? Oh man. But perhaps the best part is their reaction to the economic bailout. Exactly what I've been wanting to say! Thank you SNL! Hopefully (but probably not) some other more influencial people were watching that as well. Anyway, that's just what's been on my mind lately. And as with most SNL episodes, I just wanna give a PG-13 warning for these, just in case.

Interesting Political Video

Here's something for you all to look at. A friend showed me this and I thought it was very interesting. Now I haven't checked the facts all myself, but this is not the first time I've heard these same issues brought up. The fact is everyone thinks our current president is the one to blame for all the problems we're currently facing. Just because an administration couldn't prevent something, doesn't mean it was the cause. I'm usually not much of a fanatic when it comes to politics, but this time I just wanted to put this up here. All I see is a bunch of rich people trying to get richer in politics right now. Nobody really cares what's going on. So let's stop letting the media push us around. The video moves a little fast, so don't feel bad pausing and rewinding to check on things - but it does have a great soundtrack! :)

Lake Tahoe Marathon

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys"
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
- Emil Zatopek

I did it! Since this time last year I've been gearing up to run a marathon! I have my cousin Brooke to thank for that :) I've had the chance to finally put this little video together. I think it's my best compilation yet!

I did pretty good. I ran pretty quickly without stopping except to refuel for the first 22 miles. Then around there every muscle and tendon in my legs started cramping up at once! Couldn't bend them one way or the other. So I had to hobble the last 4 miles which took forever. I was on schedule to finish around 5:15 hrs, but ended up making it around 6:08. But that's ok, I wasn't trying to break any records, I just wanted to be able to say I'd done it! And now I've got the medal to prove it! It was really a great experience.

If you'd like to see the still shots, take a look at this public photo album on Facebook

I think more people could do it if they just had the courage to try. I don't consider myself a runner, nor do I have a special talent for it. All I had was the patience to train (which I could have always done more of) and a good playlist of music. After not being able to go up or down stairs or get in and out of my car without crying in pain, I've finally started to heal! Everyone asks me if I want to do another one. In the words of a much better runner than I ""You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming." (Frank Shorter). So once that happens, I'll let you know. Now let me end with some cool running quotes:

"It's rude to count people as you pass them. Out loud."
-Adidas ad

"Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when the awareness comes, it is excruciating."
- John Farrington, Australian marathoner

"Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting. "
-Veikko Karvonen, 1954 European and Boston Marathon Champ

"I'm never going to run this again."
- Grete Waitz after winning her first of nine New York City marathons

"Life is short... running makes it seem longer."
- Baron Hansen

"Running is a lot like life. Only 10 percent of it is exciting. 90 percent of it is slog and drudge."
- Dave Bedford

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and sub-2:12 marathoner

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
- Inspirational sign on a runner's office wall

And as a new treat, the Team Brandon Cheerleaders put together a great timeline of the day's humorous events! Most of which are only funny to those of us who were there, but you can tell it was a memorable day. Thanks guys! (The 'Me' in here is my cousin Michelle)...

7:45 Brandon starts Marathon Race.
8:15 Ring! Ring! :: Brandon accidentally calls Diana's phone she aswers to only the sound of his feet. The next 15 minutes were spent contacting family members to share in the experience. (We felt like we were right there running next to him) See Brandon's Blog video tohear the recording we made of this call.
8:35 Diana and I recieve a text from brandon (written mid-run) :: "Something's happening! My phone battery is dying!" We knew exactly why! :)
10:15 Me, Kyla, and Diana make a supply run to the store. (oops...we forgot our emergency hershey bar...if only we had known then!)
10:49 Rachel calls for a ride claiming to have locked 'just' her car key inside her car.
11:00 We all meet Rachel.
11:40 Meet Uncle Mark at the 22 mile marker and bring out the supplies.
11:45-11:51 Make 2 posters :: "Hey BRANDON, go, go Go, Go, GO!" refering to a memorable moment at Christina Lake this summer when those very words got me thrown from the boat fully cloathed. :: "Yea Brandon!" for the finish line with notes from all of us on Team Brandon.
11:53 Brandon passes mile marker 22 by a possy of screaming girls. (No one else knew we were all family which made all the other runners jealous!)
12:08-2:08 This time passed quite inventively. We decided to hang the 'G0, G0, GO!' poster on the side of the road for him to pass. Not having thought of this before we scrambled to find a way to accomplish this. After trying to attached the poster to a snow marker with Rachel and my gum; grandma ruth's cherry picking stories inspired Auntie Brenda to acquire some rubber bands off a nearby newspaper. These rubber bands, sticks, and waterbottle labels successfully secured the poster. Twice. Both times Brandon caught up to us too soon for us to hide. We have photographic proof of this poster hanging success.***I said before that the other runners were jealous. The man in the orange shirt kept insisting the name on our signs were wrong.
1:53:26 Congratulations! Brandon crosses the finish line and after a few hugs is doused with and entire water bottle in celebration.***same jealous runner makes comment to Brandon at finish line...something about how he had all these BEAUTIFUL women for support. 'How?' he askes, and what was brandon's reply? 'Um, have you seen me?'
2:30 While driving to dinner Brandon requests to stop the car. He is feeling light headed and naseous. We stopped at Par National Park and did not mind parking illegally. We wouldn't be long...
2:38 Brandon lays down to increase blood flow to his brain and we jokingly outline his body...it looked just like a murder scene.
2:45 Park Ranger packing heat sees our illegally parked cars. Before he writes the ticket he sees Brandon and comes to investigate. He is an EMT and retired marathon runner. He mentioned a few times (5 maybe) that "A Marathon is a BIG DEAL!" Though he had to ask what marathon Brandon had just ran. "The one today."
2: 45 :47 Trauma surgeon and wife arrive at the scene. First thing first, stop breathing in the bag. (the bag I was holding to his face after having drawn the white chalk line around the body.)Second, an interrogation. Last urination, its color, and food intake. While describing his meals for the day he mentioned eating some bananas. To which the surgeons wife exclaimed, "18 Bananas! I'd say its a potassium overdose!" Neadless to say, we couldn't hold in the laughs.
2:55 Park ranger retrieves two medical bags in case Brandon accepts help. After assesing the situation he realized that brandon is an adult and capable of making his own decisions.
2:58-3:05 Ranger Dan explained to Brandon that he probably only needed food and water but if he accepted his assistance, protocol would not allow him to give Brandon either. He could only give him oxygen and call an ambulance. When Brandon decided not to accept medical assistance Ranger Dan called in that 'the victim' had refused medical assistance.
3:12 Ranger states that Brandon now looks human, to which Rachel remarks, "as opposed to an alien, or an ape-man eating 18 bananas." The ranger then advises us to treat Brandon well which Rachel says much louder than intended, "Oh . . . we will!" Nearly comatose Brandon perks up, glances in Rachel's direction and smiles a truly authentic Brandon smile.
3:15 Brandon feels well enough to continue the drive to South Tahoe to pick up SWAG and eat.
4:00 We leave Brandon in car to sleep while we eat at Auntie Brenda's favorite Tahoe restaurant.

Parodies

With such a great movies, we're bound to see a bunch of funny parodies before too long. My dad just came across this one and showed it to me. Pretty funny!

Originally this post was all about the Dark Knight parody. But I came across this parody for the Twilight trailer, and oh my goodness, it's funny, but the last part of this clip about had me rolling on the floor laughing. I've added one of the orginal trailers first. If you haven't seen it yet, the parody won't be very funny so check it out first.

Life Inside a Cell

As you know, I am a Biology major here at UNR. And as boring as some of those lectures are, there's one thing that always amazes me. The miracle of creation is awe inspiring. To learn about the great detail of things like the cell and how it works so efficiently leaves no doubt in my mind that there is a higher power who designed life on earth.

Right now I am in a cell biology class and I was reminded of a video that was shown to me a few semesters ago, so I looked it up. Of course this is a computer remake of what goes on inside a cell. In real life everything is more compact obviously. But watching this video and thinking about life, I truly stand all amazed. Just think, someday I might actually understand what's going on in there!

For a better video at much higher quality go here http://www.studiodaily.com/main/technique/tprojects/6850.html

Obama Drama!

This video was emailed to me today. I don't know how old it is, I'm thinking right after the caucus hullabaloo. I know this won't be news to anyone who actually keeps track of these things. I'll be the first to admit I don't know as much about the candidates as I should. But this is my blog, and I can put what I want on here and say what I want. And all I have to say is "wow". What Obama is proposing sounds to me like a very very bad idea to say the least. Here's what I think:

1) Stop spending money in Iraq and end the war:
Ok, great idea Obama, the public doesn't like the word "war". But what about finding a solution to the fanatic Muslim terrorist problem? We'd like that too. There's only one way to do it though, and that's not by talking them out of it. We have to stomp it out like an Ebola outbreak. Although this statement doesn't sound that bad, the plan to actually implement it successfully without leaving a big whole for terrorists to return and refill is probably going to take more than 4 years, or 8 for that matter.

2) Cut spending for unproven missile defense systems, weaponizing space, slow development of future combat systems:
Well, how does a missile defense system ever prove itself without money invested in developing it? And weaponizing space? A nice promise, but not one we really need to worry about right now, there are much more pressing issues at hand.
My real beef...SLOWING DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS! Not only does that statement incredibly general, how do you think we have been able to maintain our position as a world super power? By being first to the greatest technology on the planet! If we slow down, it won't take long before other countries catch up, and then what? Whoops...

3) An Independent Defense Priorities Board:
Does this sound like what I think it does to anyone else? Taking the decision making power out of the hands of the people's elected representatives in regards to where our defense money is spent. Like that's a step in the right direction, for heaven's sake!!

4) Set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons
Alright, now's where he just looses it. Does he not know the world we live in? First, his plan, to stop developing new nuclear weapons. Remember a little war called World War II where our ability to develop the first nuclear weapons was what allowed us to win? What would have happened if we had stopped that too early? Also, to issue a ban on the production of materials??? I can't put enough question marks after that!! How out of touch with the world is he? That makes about as much sense as the Geneva Convention's rules of engagement! Only the countries who agree to it follow it, mostly with terrible results. It is impossible to negotiate such a ban with the entire world. IMPOSSIBLE. And to try live by one will only put us in a disadvantageous position. I know this all sounds pretty to the media and ignorant Americans, but we do not live in a fairy tale world people! There are bad guys who will not obey the "bans" the Americans tried to negotiate. Puh-leeeeze!

Yes Obama, now we do know where you stand. It sounds like your plan to defend the American people is actually a plan to turn us into a bunch of defenseless sissies.

24: Exile

Yahooooooo!!!!! It's finally time!

For those of you who know me, you know I am an avid fan of the show 24. You can thank my cousins for getting me and my family addicted to the most intense show ever. I didn't get introduced to this show until well into the 5th season, but I caught myself up very quickly, and have been watching it ever since. Unfortunately, due to the writer's strike, the 7th season was postponed (a good decision, however hard to bare. I can't even imagine having to wait in the middle of a season!).

Well, if you've been loving the show like me, you know the end of the 6th Season left a lot of possibilities open. So what has Fox done? Created a "made for TV" movie bridging the end of the 6th season and the beginning of the 7th set to finally air in January. It's finally time, Jack Bauer is back!

Set to none other than the best trailer music of all time, the "Requiem for a Dream" theme (used also in the LOTR: Two Towers trailer if you recognize it), here is the trailer for the movie set to air November 23rd. So without further ado, the trailer for the tv movie! Wahoo!!!

PS: This is not to be confused with the announced 24 movie set to be released in 2009...which I am also very excited for...

PPS: If you would like to experiment with 24-ism, please do yourself a favor and have the patience to start with season 1, you will have so much more of an appreciation for the struggles and history of each character. The surprises will have the most effect if you have an emotional connection to the characters, which can only be developed by seeing all the shows! And trust me, the surprises are what make the show! You can't come to me and say you don't like it unless you've atleast seen every episode :)

And at the last minute I've decided to add this, I just couldn't resist! Fox has decided to unveil one of Season 7's biggest surprises in their preview, so you're bound to find out before the season starts, but just in case - I've now warned you! Don't watch unless you're sure you want to :)

Marathon Update

Well, with 25 days until my marathon, I figure I'd write a bit about my training progress. I did my final long run last night. I ran the McCarran loop. Both my bike and the Gmaps Pedometer measure it as about 23 miles. I want the next few weeks to heal completely, just doing smaller runs (I'm thinking no more than 10 miles).

This run was brutal! I did it with only my Gatorade. Usually I have some of the energy gel packs and and energy drink called FRS that I love. Well, at about the 18 mile mark I hit the "wall" marathon runners talk about. Oh boy, I was totally out of energy. It was shortly after that I tripped on the curb and fell flat on my face. That takes a lot out of you. So it was at that point that my jogging became more of a hobble. I would stop to cross a street, and at each intersection it would take me even longer to speed back up to my hobble pace. So I won't get into the time it took me, but it was a shame. Let's just say I've learned not to do my marathon without ample sources of natural (or artificial) energy. I don't care what it takes, but I'm not running out of energy again!

Best in the West

It's that time again! The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off. The one event I've been to regularly I think every year since before I can remember. All of the country's top rib cookers gather over Labor Day weekend to compete for the best ribs. There's not much to say about the event, except that the ribs are excellent, the hippies sell their crafts, and it never surprises me how weird the general public can get. They do bring in a country artist for a free concert each year, this time it was Bucky Covington. Overall, it was as fun an event as ever. I had a half a rack at Texas Outlaw's, and another half at the Australian Barbecue. The Australian's were the best. Oh, and I also had my traditional fresh squeezed lemonade and a root beer flavored shaved ice! So anyway, that's about it. Below are a few pictures I took with my phone for those who have never been to the event.

The first day of school...

The campus here at UNR is actually a very nice place to be. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the classrooms. Today was my first day of school.

No matter how many times I start a new school year, the feeling will be the same every time. Sadness. Depression. The ending of an era. Summer is over. Honestly, if you know me at all, you'll know that I hate school with my entire being. Interesting seeing the career path I've chosen. But it's not the journey that attracts me to it, it's the end result. There is no joy in the journey for me this time.

Although it is fun to be part of the suffering masses once again. To be able to comiserate with my fellow slaves of the academic oppression we're all waist-deep in. Today I had 4 classes, all Biology lectures. Terribly technical and dry material, with professors that match. Every room was too hot. In my second class, I got stuck in the back row, laid my head back, and slept the entire time. Not a bad start for my first day. Old habits die hard I guess.

So now I begin my journey through the valley of the shadow of my career. Do not try to cheer me up. Do not try to make me see the error in my ways. I have chosen this path, and I will not smile again until I am out of it.

Burning Man

If you are from the area, then you will be familliar with Burning Man. It's that time of year again. I found myself stuck in traffic with these folks, so I decided to do a bit more research on the subject.

If you don't know what Burning Man is, I'm not an expert, but as far as I'm concerned, it's basically a hippie convention with a few rules. It gets it's name from a giant wooden person thing they set fire to at the climax of the event.

It takes place in Black Rock City, Nevada. Some of the basic principles of the event are these:

1) Everyone is invited, as long as you have a ticket
2) There's lots of gift giving to your fellow hippies, for whatever reason you want
3) "Decommodification" or basically "roughin' it". No cash transactions allowed. Except for at the cafe or to buy ice which goes to support the local schools (Imagine who their partner in education is)
4) Radical Self-Reliance. Dude, bring your own everything cause you're out in BFE
5) Radical Self-Expression. Express yourself...with or without clothes apparently
6) There's like a "No Driving" rule once you get there because it's so packed. So people bring bikes, or "mutant vehicles" of one kind or another.
7) ....and be responsible, clean up after yourself, and don't break any big laws....

Basically that's it. At least that's what I got from the Wikipedia article on the subject. If you ever see me there, shoot me.

Bike Wreck

Well, as most of you know now, I had a little mishap on my mountain bike. Nothing serious really, but it's all I've had in a while to blog about, so I guess I will. It was a combination of a few things that caused it. I had brand new brakes put on my bike; this was my first time riding since then, so they were extra good at stopping me. I was going downhill at a normal speed (nothing too careless or excessive) when I bumped a rock or something on a tricky corner which threw me off balance. Unfortunately, when something like this happens, my body goes into panic mode and my reflexes override my decision making process. Being thrown off balance, all my weight was on the left side of the bike. That combined with my reflexes caused me to be squeezing my front brake with all my weight. Before my brain kicked back in, I ran into a rock or something and up and over I went with my bike behind me. It would have been a simple crash except that my cheek bone struck a rock on the ground as my head came down.

You can see from these pictures that it wasn't too bloody. My face is all scabbed over now. But you can see in the pic where I'm not smiling, a slight darkness around my eye. In the last two days that has developed nicely into a purple and black eye. So now my cheeks all bruised, I have a black eye, and I'm all scraped up. If I can't get a girlfriend from all this I don't know what else to do. It hurts to chew, so eating's no fun. But I am very lucky because it could have been much worse. I didn't break anything on my body or my bike. I think we're going to try that trail again over Labor Day!!

After this wreck we made it back to the car and headed over to Jamba Juice and got ourselves something to drink. Then we headed over to REI for their Labor Day sale and got some clothes and cool bike accessories. THEN I headed home and got all cleaned up. It sure made my trip to REI that much more authentic looking like this, I felt like I fit right in.

My Vote for President

Abraham Lincoln once said that "If you're a racist, I will attack you with the North,"
and these are the principles I carry with me in the workplace.
- Michael Scott, The Office.

While of course President Lincoln didn't actually said this, a valuable lesson can be learned. As is expected, the entire planet is holding it's breath to see who will become the next leader of the free world, and president of the most powerful nation ever known to man. We are all asking ourselves and eachother who will we choose; who will get our vote? With everyone talking about this, I want to take this time to put in my two cents on the issue. I do not think I am alone when I say that unfortunately, neither of the candidates seem to be my favorite.

Abraham Lincoln was a hero of my first mission president, and thus has become one of mine. The current presidential candidates could learn a lesson or two from Michael Scott and carry a few more of Lincoln's values in their lives. No matter what challenges our country faces now, no president has seen a more complicated term than has Lincoln. More Americans died during the Civil War than in every other war combined, from the Revolution to Vietnam. And in this time of greatest need, arose a leader equal to the task. Lincoln was not trying to please the lobbyists, he was not trying to win oppinion polls. He had one objective: preserve the Union. And nor was he a man without faith. I fear this post will be way too long, but I have so much to say on this topic at the moment, so please bear with me.

Many people do not realize the type of man Lincoln was, nor the type of leader. He is known for his speeches like the Gettysburg Address and the House Divided Speech. But those were not his best. To give you an example, take a moment to look up Lincoln's "Lost Speech". On May 29th, 1856 in Bloomington, IL, a political convention was held to discuss how to stop the spread of slavery to the west. After a series of speeches, the audience demanded to hear from Lincoln. Lincoln took the stage and began his speech. Then the unexpected happened. William Herndon, Lincoln's law partner said this, "I attempted for about fifteen minutes, as was usual with me then to take notes, but at the end of that time I threw pen and paper away and lived only in the inspiration of the hour." There were roughly 40 news reporters present, and each one was so mesmerized by Lincoln's words, that every single one of them forgot to take notes! One delegate said, "Never was an audience more completely electrified by human eloquence. Again and again, during the delivery, the audience sprang to their feet, and by long-continued cheers, expressed how deeply the speaker had roused them." Although many scholars have dedicated their lives to rebuilding this speech, to this day there exists no verbatim copy.

Can you believe that? Show me an Abraham Lincoln of our day. Who has the power and dedication to that which is right to match such leadership? Is it any wonder why I don't like any of the candidates we have today? All you Obama fans treating him as a savior of our nation. McCain supporters rallying behind his record of military service. Now don't get me wrong, I am a registered Republican and will always vote for what I feel is the best candidate for the job. My political beliefs are pretty regularly classified as "conservative". But let's have a leader who deserves their face on our money. Our country is in a state of turmoil. While luckily we have never again seen war on American soil since the Civil War, if some of our problems aren't solved, our security as a nation could cease to exist. While the media seems content on blaming our current president's administration for every problem we face, the truth is that these problems (from the oil drama, the housing crisis, war on terrorism, etc) were not caused by the president, they are a cumulation of the glutonous culture we have grown to enjoy (yes I know that's an oversimplification as well, especially where terrorism is concerned, but stick with me here, you're smarter than that). I am also very pleased with how our president rose to the occasion and confronted the world in the post-9/11 aftermath.

But what we need now is a president ready to confront our nations issues. Not get us further into debt. Not being the next big celebrity. Someone who isn't out for the glory of the country, but the well-being of the country. At times he will not be popular. But we don't need poplularity, we need results. Our country has seen it before. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to 4 terms! What could get us to ignore such a blatant contradiction to our own constitution? RESULTS! Ever heard of the great depression? He helped end that! Our country has definately seen worse days. Even now with all the problems we hear about, I still have way too much to eat. And I know that when I flip the light switch and the lights come on. Do we need to wait for our country to be on the verge of collapse before we see another great leader? Perhaps we do, since it doesn't look like we will be seeing one this time around.

Anyway, I have rambled for much too long. But heck, it's my blog, I can go for as long as I want. I don't want anyone to think I'm all about doom and gloom. Those running for president are definately not slackers or they would have never made it this far in the political battlefield. But let's start something new. Forget about politics...so to speak. Let's get results. For heaven's sake, do I need to run for president? I'm this close....lets hear it...who'd support Freund for president??? I'm game if you are. So in closing I'd just like to leave you with some of the best quotes from Abraham Lincoln that give us an insight to the type of man he was, and the type of president we need. Show me a man like him, and that's who will get my vote for president.

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right”

"The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party - and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose."

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."

"Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it."

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

"All I am, all I ever hope to be I owe to my angel Mother."

"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day."

"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved - I do not expect the house to fall - but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other."

"I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say that if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will close by saying, God bless the women of America!"

"I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am reminded, in this connection, of a story of an old Dutch farmer who remarked to a companion once that 'it was not best to swap horses while crossing streams'."

"Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."

"The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me."

"Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today."

"In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book."

"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."

"The demon of intemperance ever seems to have delighted in sucking the blood of genius and of generosity."

"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend it'."

"I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union."

"At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."

"It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: 'And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!"

Now I can't even believe how long this has gottten. Sorry guys, I just couldn't stop. The internet is a great resource for information, and these quotes are all over the place. I know everything you read there isn't true, but if you would like to know more, I got most of my info for this post from here http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln2.html. If things I wrote are not totally true, I think they should be, and we should learn the lessons they have for us either way. Amen.

The Birds

Here in the Reno/Sparks area there is a pigeon problem...they live. Pigeons have taken over my neighborhood. Until recently, demon pigeons lived on our house. I would wake up to hear them scratching all over the roof. Every time we'd open the front door, the pigeons on the porch would all violently scatter all over the place. Not to mention their droppings everywhere in sight.

So, being humans, we did what we do best. We called a pest exterminator. He assured us that we were not the only person with the pigeon problem, and that in fact it is very common around here. He put up medieval looking spikes to ward off the furious fiends. And for a while it seemed to work...

But little did we know, those pigeons were keeping away a multitude of smaller flighty creatures who soon realized one thing: whatever spikes were placed to keep pigeons off, were perfect for building new nests...safe from pigeons. So, I had to take a picture of what has become of our "bird guard". Filled to the brim! And most of them have eggs or chirping baby birds in them!

Anyway, this pic was taken with the "panoramic" setting on my camera phone, which didn't line up quite right, so that explains the odd double image you're seeing. I just keep praying that these birds are thankful for the little home we've provided them, and that maybe they will choose me to be their bird king...

PS...and sorry Diana, you probably shouldn't come visit, because I don't feel like picking up the birds that die around you...that would just be a mess.

Holy Freaky!!!!

I took this picture a while ago and just found it, so thought I'd post it up here. Isn't that freaky?

I mean, over 124,000 miles on it! This car's gonna die any day now!

California Smokin' Update

Just a quick note, I went on another bike ride today and decided to take a third picture to see how much the smoke has gone away. The sky does look significantly more blue. Luckily, I hope the worst has past! I stuck that third picture in my original post about the smoke so I could see the comparison more easily...

The Little Victories

I've been telling myself a lot lately that it's the little victories that I should be getting joy from on a day to day basis. With so many ways to be dissapointed, sometimes it's hard to see those victories.

But then sometimes there are days when the stars just seem to align, and you realize things couldn't have worked out better. Like last night. Somehow I ended up at a Denny's with 5 girls! I was the only guy in the group. I did all of the inviting here, so I can't really be surprised it turned out this way, but heck, I did invite boys.

So here's a picture taken with my phone by our waitress to document this rare occurence. Brandon, 5 girls, and endless possibilities....well, the possibilities ended right after we were done eating and we all went home. But still....there are guys who's kill to have as much luck as I seemed to have here at Denny's. Now if only one of them wanted me to stick around.....